Easter Blessing
by Newbie08
Summary: A talk with Harriet after an Easter Dinner at the Roberts' Home put things into perspective for Mac. H/M.


Hello! I know some of you are waiting for an update on 'The Importance of Today,' and I promise you will get one, but this piece came to me while I was visiting the HBX Archives website and it wouldn't leave me alone. I realized that it's been a while since I've been over there so I figured I'd rummage through the challenge prompts and that's where this come in.

One thing that I'd like to point out is that I have not seen many of the JAG episodes, in all actuallity I've probably only seen a handful of them years ago. But there was something about the Harm and Mac characters that intrigued me so I started reading about them. So if any of the information posted about where the characters live or something about their personal background isn't accurate, feel free to let me know.

Also, this is un-edited and un-beta'd so all mistakes are courtesy of me.

But on to the fanfic! I would place this somewhere between seasons nine and ten, only for the brief mention of Mac's hopes of having a child. But other than than it's pretty much and AU type of fic. Hope you like!

Roberts' Home

Alexandria, VA

1743 hours (5:43 pm local)

Mac stood with Harriet in the kitchen helping her with the clean up from their Easter dinner. She had been in a great mood for most of the evening but as the night started winding down she started to withdraw from everyone and couldn't seem to snap herself out of it.

Harriet noticed the change in her friend right around the time little AJ and Jimmy had a visit with the Easter bunny. She knew seeing Harm in a giant white bunny outfit would put a smile on anyone's face but there was something about the look in Mac's eyes that caught Harriet's attention. A mixture of anticipation and bemusement matching the smile on her face.

At first Harriet let it go, not wanting to ruin the moment between her children and their god parents, but now that the kids were with Bud and Harm, and it was just she and Mac alone in the kitchen, now seemed like as good a time as any. So as Mac handed the last dish to Harriet to dry and put away, Harriet looked at her friend pensively and asked, "Coffee?" Mac agreed with a silent nod of the head and took a seat at the kitchen table while Harriet prepared the coffees.

After a few short moments, Harriet joined Mac at the kitchen table, the two women each with a coffee cup in front of them, waiting for the other to speak first. Once Harriet knew Mac wasn't going to initiate a conversation, she started.

"Is everything okay, Ma'am?" Harriet looked at Mac with a gaze filled with genuine concern for her friend. She knew Mac hadn't been herself lately and she didn't try to push the issue too much when they were together on the weekends but there was something about Mac's demeanor that had Harriet worried.

Mac removed her gaze from the steaming liquid in her mug for the first time since it was placed in front of her and set her eyes on her younger friend. "I'm alright, Harriet." Mac knew it was a lie, as did Harriet. Harriet reached across the short expanse of the table and rested her pale hand on Mac's arm before saying softly, "Mac it's just us out here. You can talk to me."

Mac stared intently at Harriet, almost as if she were having a hard time processing what was just said to her. _"Your being silly,"_ Mac thought to herself. The was Harriet, her dearest friend in the whole world; of course she could talk to her.

"What's going on?"

Mac inhaled deeply then exhaled slowly in an attempt to get her bearings before forging ahead. "It was nice being here today, with you and your family. And I especially loved seeing the smile on AJ's face when 'The Easter Bunny' came for a visit," Mac smiled at the memory of the event that happened only a short time ago. "But I couldn't help but feel…envious."

Harriet's face softened at the other woman's admission. She knew it must've taken everything Mac had in her being to admit to such a thing and for that Harriet's heart melted just a little. Harriet patted Mac's arm where her hand still rested in a reassuring manner.

"It's gonna happen for you, Mac, believe me." When Mac looked at her disbelieving Harriet continued with just a hint of a twinkle in her eye. "I happen to know for a fact, that there is a very tall, handsome man in the next room who thinks the world of you and wants nothing more than to tell you so." Mac smiled shyly at her friend, slightly relieved to know that she wasn't imagining things, that all of the signals she thought were just figments of her imagination were actually real. And real enough for others to notice.

"I know I shouldn't have said anything because it's not my place to do so but I couldn't stand to see you like this anymore. You deserve to be happy, Mac. You deserve to have everything you want in life." Harriet smiled her friend, hoping to put her at ease.

Just as Mac smiled in thanks to Harriet, Harm appeared in the doorway to the kitchen holding his and Bud's empty glasses. "Am I interrupting something?" He asked almost innocently, with just a gleam of hope in his eyes. In truth he'd been waiting to speak to Mac all afternoon but figured he'd allow her the girl time with Harriet, knowing that she didn't get that kind of time with her often.

"No," Harriet stated as she stood up from her seat at the kitchen table, "I was just leaving." Harriet gave Mac a small smile as she passed the other woman and gave Harm a pat on the arm as she walked passed him on her way into the living area, leaving him alone with Mac in the kitchen.

Harm walked over towards the kitchen sink and rinsed the glasses, give Mac the time he thought she needed to compose her thoughts before turning around to face her and leaning against the counter. He watched her for a few moments, thinking about how beautiful she looked with her hair down just past her shoulders, her bangs falling in soft wisps down over her forehead and falling into her eyes. Her tan cashmere sweater making the brown in her eyes appear just a tad darker. She was magnificent.

Mac stood from her seat at the kitchen table and walked the few short steps towards Harm at the counter, stopping once she was directly in front of him. She stared at him for a moment, searching his eyes to see if what Harriet said was true, if he really did think the world of her. She gasped once she found her answer. _'Could it really be this easy?'_ she thought to herself…

She looked down at her hands in nervousness not really sure how to voice her next thought, then realizing it was best to just say it, no matter how silly she thought it sounded. "I really want to hug you right now."

"Well, I heard it works better if you put your arms around me, " he replied without missing a beat. Mac looked up to see him smiling down at her. _'May be it is.' _Mac lifted her arms as she took the last step towards Harm, closing the distance between themwhile his arms encircled her into an embrace. He held her close, her body flush against his, hoping to put all his feelings for this one woman into his hold on her, along with the soft whispers he spoke into her ear and the kiss he planted on top of her hair.

A short time later Mac pulled away just enough to look up into his eyes. All she could see was the love and adoration he had for her. Words were not needed to convey their feelings for one another, for they spoke a silent language all their own with just a few looks. She may not have what Harriet and Bud have at this current moment in time, but she had Harm. And that was enough.


End file.
